Cops on Cable/Network Too Trivia Quiz

Answer: Law and Order

Jerry Orbach (1935-2004) played the role of Detective Lennie Briscoe on "Law and Order" from 1991 to 2004. The show was set in New York City. On the show, we saw Briscoe first partnered with Mike Logan (Chris Noth). Among his other partners were Rey Curtis (Benjamin Bratt) and Ed Green (Jesse L. Martin). Briscoe was the longest serving police detective on "Law and Order's" 20 year run. Orbach's character also appeared on three "Law & Order" spin-offs, as well as episodes of "Homicide: Life on the Street".
As an aside: Jerry Orbach also played the father of "Baby" on "Dirty Dancing".

Answer: 21 Jump Street

Officer Judy Hoffs was one of the young recruits on the TV police show "21 Jump Street". The show was about crime in Los Angeles, CA, and the young police officers who were sent back to school undercover to uncover crime. "Jump Street" launched the career of Johnny Depp and also gave us Holly Robinson who starred from 1987 to 1991. Holly has gone on to appear on sitcoms and was one of the original hosts of "The Talk", a daytime TV show. Holly authored a children's book in 2011, called "My Brother Charlie", which garnered an NAACP Image Award.

Answer: CSI

Lieutenant Jim Brass was the Las Vegas Homicide Captain who works with the "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" team to solve crimes through forensic methods. The character was introduced in the pilot episode on October 6, 2000. The writers even gave Brass an impressive backstory before working with "CSI", i.e., U.S. Marine, Vietnam vet, Seton Hall graduate and member of the Newark, New Jersey Police. Paul Guilfoyle played the role from 2000 until May 7, 2014.

Answer: The Closer

On the TNT cable police drama "The Closer" (2005-2012), Brenda Leigh Johnson was the head of the Major Crimes Division of the L.A. Police Department. Johnson graduated from Georgetown University, worked with the CIA and the police departments of both Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, Georgia before moving to the LAPD.

In 2012 she took a job heading up the L.A. County District Attorney Bureau of Investigation. Kyra Sedgwick played Chief Johnson from the beginning of the series until it ended.

Answer: Police Squad!

The comedy team of Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker ("Airplane!") are responsible for showing us the lighter side of police work in "Police Squad!". While the show premiered only six episodes in 1982, it was the forerunner of the "Naked Gun" franchise. In this spoof, Lieutenant Frank Drebin was the head of a motley crew which featured bumbling officers and tons of sight gags. Drebin was played to the hilt by Leslie Nielsen (1926-2010), as a kind of American Clouseau.

Answer: Police Woman

A woman protagonist on a police show? Unheard of...that is until Sergeant Pepper Anderson, an undercover officer working for the CCU (Criminal Conspiracy Unit) in Los Angeles, California (based on the number of cop shows there, they must have a very high crime rate).

The show was called "Police Woman" (1974-1978), and the pilot was developed from a "Police Story" episode called "The Gamble". The series was the first successful hour-long program with a woman star! Angie Dickinson won a Golden Globe Award and three Emmy nominations for her portrayal of Pepper.

Answer: Breaking Bad

DEA agent and brother-in-law of Walter White, Hank Schrader is one of the leading characters in the remarkable TV series "Breaking Bad" (2008-2013), created by Vince Gilligan. The setting is Albuquerque, New Mexico where chemistry teacher Walter White can barely make ends meet; his wife is pregnant, his son has Cerebral Palsy, and Walter finds out that he has terminal cancer.

In order to provide for his family, he becomes a meth maker known as "Heisenberg". It is up to Hank to catch the criminal. Hank Schrader was played to perfection by Dean Norris.

Answer: Hunter

The police drama "Hunter" (1984-1991) was yet another step up for the portrayal of women on TV. American football player Fred Dryer starred as Sergeant Rick Hunter, a no-nonsense homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department (here we go again!). Hunter was partnered with tough Sergeant Dee Dee McCall. The pair solved crimes by often breaking the rules and using physical force.
Stepfanie Kramer played McCall until 1990 when she left to pursue other opportunities.

Answer: Barney Miller

One of my favorite old TV sitcoms was "Barney Miller" (1974-1982), set in a police station in Greenwich Village, New York City. The detectives were quirky and the criminals even quirkier. Barney was the head of the station and the voice of reason, along with the unsophisticated Wojo, gambler Yemana, aging Fish, and know-it-all Dietrich.

Then there was Ron Harris, the African American detective who was the trend-setter and fashion-plate of the group. Ron Glass played Harris; sadly, Glass was one of the celebrity casualties of 2016 (with Abe Vigoda/"Fish").

Answer: The Mentalist

"The Mentalist" (2008-2015) featured Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) as a 'psychic' and independent consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation. Jane would often bang heads with the head of the "Serious Crimes Unit" of the CBI, i.e., Senior Special Agent Teresa Lisbon.

As plots would have it, Jane and Lisbon's professional relationship developed into a personal one as well. Teresa Lisbon was played by Robin Tunney, an actress who was in films which include "The Craft", "End of Days" and "Vertical Limit".